fro above where the king lay
sleeping. Men started up about their ashen fires, their faces blanching
at the terror that cried in the dark, and they heard the wailing twice
repeated, while none dared try to see the thing that wailed.

Then, while their blood chilled and their breath stayed, they heard the
heavy flapping pass over their heads and die away towards the camp of
Mordred; and there in the distance did the three cries sound again.

Men's hearts sickened as they turned and crept the nearer to each
other, but few dared to utter the words upon their lips.

Two knights slept in the tent with king, Sir Kay and Sir Owen; and they
lay in the dark, trembling at the cries of terrible import. When they
passed, the knights would not move, fearing to be the first to speak.

'My Lords,' came the quiet voice of King Arthur out of the dark, 'that
was the voice of the Hag of Warning. Men say it hath foretold the
deaths of many of my house, but I know not. Yet will I take the issue
as God shall give it me, trusting in His mercy and the blood of His Son
Jesus, and Him crucified.'

'Amen,' said the two knights, and said no more.

When, in a little while, the sun rose, flashing his warm rays into the
fearful eyes that greeted him, men's terror quickly vanished; and when
fires were lit and oaten cakes were browning on the irons, or collops
sputtered on their skewers, tongues were loosened and faces began to
smile. But few spoke of the cries which they had heard, for all loved
their king, and hoped that somehow they had dreamed an evil dream, or
had but heard the cries of some foul night-bird.

Breakfast being ended, the captains and knights began to trim their men
in army array, and talk was eager of the coming battle. Then were seen,
coming from Sir Mordred's camp, two bishops; and these were taken at
their desire to Arthur, where he stood surrounded by his knights and
chieftains.

'Lord,' said one of the bishops, he that was head of the great choir or
monastery of Amesbury, 'cannot we make accord between you and your
nephew? Sad it is to see so many great and valiant warriors ranged
against each other. Many are sisters' sons, and all are of one speech,
one kindred. If this unnatural war doth continue, how much sorrow there
will be, how many noble hearts be stilled in death or broken in grief
for him that shall never return! How many puissant bodies, now quick
and passionate and handsome, will be meat for snarling wolves and
carrion for foul birds!'

'What says my rebellious nephew?' asked the king sternly.

'My lord,' said the other bishop, a man of soft and silky speech, and
he was chief of the choir of Clovesho, 'he asks but little, and if ye
are willing to make treaty, he also is willing. Grant him but the
earldom of Kent and the Andred, with a seat at London, during your
days, and do thou appoint him king after your days. For now that Sir
Gawaine, Sir Gaheris and Sir Gareth are slain, he is the only sister's
son you have. If ye grant these things he will be your liege, faithful
in all things, and a strong arm against your enemies.'

Then some of King Arthur's knights would have him agree to these terms,
but others would not, and said the king should make no treaty with a
traitor, but that Mordred should come and throw himself upon the mercy
of his king and uncle.

At the last, after much counsel had been taken, King Arthur agreed to
meet Mordred, with fourteen of his chief men, in the space betwixt
their hosts, and the king should also take fourteen knights with him.
So the bishops went back with this message, and King Arthur called the
chieftains of his host about him.

'I go to see this traitor, my nephew,' he said to them, 'whether he
means falsely or truly with this talk of a treaty. But look ye, I in no
wise trust him. Hold ye your men warily, and if ye see any sword drawn
among us where we stand, do thou sound the horns of attack and come on
fiercely, and slay that rebel and all that hold with him.'

In like wise did Mordred warn his men, 'for,' said he, knowing how
greatly he had sinned against his generous and noble uncle, 'I know
well that King Arthur and his knights would be avenged on me if they
could.'

The party from each army went forward over the stony hillside, until
they met midway between the armies, and men watched them keenly. King
Arthur spoke chidingly to his nephew Mordred, who, sour and dark of
face, looked craftily at the faces of his uncle and his knights. And
the chiefs with Mordred, men for the most part of violent and ambitious
natures, looked haughtily at King Arthur's party. Nevertheless, there
was no bad blood shown, and the talk was continued, and Mordred
repeated the demands which the bishops had made.

'But I care not to give to thee Kent and London,' said the king. 'I
tell thee frankly, Mordred, I would not trust thee there. I fear me
thou wouldst try some crafty plot with the Saxon pagans if I gave them
thee, as that rebel Caros did, who for a time made himself emperor of
the Romans here in this land.'

'Ha' done, then, my father,' said Gorfalk, the son of Mordred, an
insolent young man. 'Let us cease this. I doubt not we be big enough to
get all the kingdom if we fight.'

The king looked sternly at the young man, and there was silence among
them all as men waited for Arthur's reply.

Then it happened that a young chieftain, standing near the king, felt
something bite his foot where the low leathern shoe left it naked. He
looked down and saw that he was treading on a viper, which had struck
him and was about to strike again. With a cry the knight stepped aside,
drew his sword, and cut the reptile in two.

As the blade flashed, silvery bright in the sunlight, a great hoarse
cry rose like thunder from the two masses of men watching them on
either side; trumpets blared and horns squealed, and shouts of command
rose sharp and keen.

Instantly the men standing with Arthur and Mordred looked about them,
saw where the young chieftain stood with drawn sword, and knew that now
nothing could avert the battle.

'The gods will have it so!' sneered Mordred.

Already the earth trembled and shook with the beat of ten thousand feet
of the armies rushing together. A knight of Mordred's, drawing his
sword, thrust it into the breast of one of Arthur's chieftains, with
the cry:

'This for thy land, Sir Digon, that marches with mine!'

Instantly others fell to fighting hand-to-hand, striking on targe and
helm; but Sir Owen, Sir Kay and Sir Bedevere surrounded the king, and
all hurried back to the army approaching them. So likewise did Sir
Mordred.

Then came the crash of battle, as line on line, with flashing swords
held high, the ranks of war closed. Blades rose again, stained red,
fierce strangled cries came from men in the death-grips, helms were
cracked, shields riven, dirks sank home, and men who once had drunk and
jested with laughing looks over the same mead-board, now met fierce eye
to eye, and never parted until one or both fell in the swaths of the
death-harvest.

All day the stubborn battle raged, and ever the king sought out the
rebel Mordred, but never reached him. Many valiant deeds he did,
wielding his sword Excalibur; and by his side were Owen and Kay, Lucan
and Bedevere. So spent were they at the last that hardly could they
lift their swords, and so sick of the slaying were they that gladly
would they have ceased. But ever some vicious band of Mordred's knights
would come upon them, and then they quitted them like men, and ceased
not till their enemies had fled or were slain.

Suddenly the king came to himself, and, standing still, looked upon the
field. In the morning it had been but a bare hillside of hungry,
stunted grass, through which the stones showed grey and sallow, like
ancient bones. Now, in the low light of the sinking orb, it was
red--red, with the pallid faces of the dead stained a lighter red in
the rays of the sun. Here and there bands still fought together, cries
of fury rose, and the groans of the dying mingled with them.

'Alas, lord,' said Bedevere, 'Sir Owen got his death-wound by the thorn
where we fought those five knights but now, and Sir Kay suddenly fell
as he walked. And when I knelt to speak to him, I found him dead.'

'Alas,' said the king, 'that ever I should see this doleful day, for
now is my end come. But would to Heaven that I wist where is that
traitor Mordred, that hath caused all this sorrow and ruin.'

Then, as he spoke, he looked towards the east, and saw where, by a tall
standing-stone, a man leaned as if spent with a wound. And he was aware
that this was Mordred.

'Now give me my spear,' said the king to Sir Lucan, 'for yonder is the
traitor, and he shall not escape me.'

'Lord,' said Sir Lucan in a weak voice, 'let him bide, for he hath none
with him, while we three are still alive.'

'Now, betide me death, betide me life,' said the king, 'now that I see
him yonder I will slay the serpent, lest he live to work more havoc on
this my poor kingdom.'

'God speed you well,' said Sir Bedevere, and gave the king his spear.

Then the king ran towards Sir Mordred, crying:

'Traitor, prepare, now is thy death-day come!'

When Sir Mordred heard King Arthur he raised his head, then came
towards the king with his sword in his hand.

And there, in the shadow of the great stone, King Arthur smote Sir
Mordred under the shield, with so keen a stroke of his spear that it
went through the body and out beyond. Sir Mordred, feeling that death
was upon him, thrust himself along the spear almost to the butt
thereof, nigh where King Arthur held it, and grasping his sword in both
his hands,